Career/Technical Menu

What Nursing Aides Do*

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.

Duties

Nursing aides, sometimes called nursing attendants or nursing assistants, provide basic care and help with basic living activities. They typically do the following:

Clean and bathe patients or residents

Help patients use the toilet and dress

Turn, reposition, and transfer patients between beds and wheelchairs

Listen to and record patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses

Measure patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature

Serve meals and help patients eat

In nursing homes, aides and attendants are often the principal caregivers. They have more contact with residents than other members of the staff. Because some residents stay in a nursing home for months or years, aides and attendants may develop close, caring relationships with their patients.

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants work as part of a healthcare team under the supervision of licensed practical or vocational nurses or registered nurses.

Pay*

The median annual wage for nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants was $24,010 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,790, and the top 10 percent earned more than $34,580.

Most nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants work full time. Because nursing homes and hospitals provide care at all hours, nursing aides and orderlies may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

If you wish to be considered for the class, please fill out an application, including the date you wish to start. I will review your application and notify you by mail of your acceptance into the program and how to proceed.

If you have any further questions, you can reach me directly at 601-554-5537.

Sincerely,

T. Camille Killough, RN, MSN

Tentative Class Start and End Dates

June 23, 2014 to July 11, 2014

July 14, 2014 to August 1, 2014

August 4, 2014 to August 22, 2014

August 25, 2014 to September 12, 2014 (September 1 Labor Day Holiday)

September 15, 2014 to October 3, 2014

October 6, 2014 to October 24, 2014 (October 13, Columbus Day Holiday)

October 27, 2014 to November 14, 2014

November 17 to December 12, 2014 (Thanksgiving Holidays November 24 to 29)

Just because classes are full we are still taking applications. Students who do not have a completed application are not scheduled. Students who have submitted a completed application can always apply for a waiting list spot for any of our classes.

Students are encouraged to secure a backup plan in case Funding is NOT available. Current funding providers are through PRVO (Pearl River Valley Opportunity).